Does a human have the right to decide to kill himself and does death solve many issues? Suicide, euthanasia, and assisted suicide are terms referring to a procedure that has become legal in some countries. 

According to the World Health Organization, around 800,000 people die by suicide every year. There are also many people who attempt suicide but fail. This failure can be due to the use of a non-lethal method, fear of death at the moment of the attempt, or a change of heart.

Many countries have legalized euthanasia and assisted suicide which is known as "medically assisted suicide," (the practice of deliberately ending a person's life with their consent, usually involving a medical professional) for various reasons. One of the most common arguments in favour of these practices is that they can be a humane option for people who are suffering from terminal illnesses, old age, or who are born with disabilities.

Countries legalized euthanasia and assisted suicide, providing terminally ill individuals with the option to end their suffering under specific legal and medical guidelines. These include the Netherlands (since 2002), Belgium (since 2002), Luxembourg (since 2009), Colombia (since 2015), Canada (since 2016), and Victoria, Australia (since 2017).

More recent additions include Spain in March 2021, several US states, Italy's Marche region (since 2021), and Western Australia (since mid-2021). New Zealand also legalised euthanasia in late 2019. While France allows requesting palliative sedation until death, assisted suicide remains illegal.

Proponents of euthanasia and assisted suicide argue that these practices allow people to die with dignity and on their own terms. They also argue that these practices can help to relieve the suffering of patients and their families.

I am strongly against euthanasia and assisted suicide. I believe that these practices are morally wrong and that they could be abused. There are people who do not wish for it deep down, they may want to comfort those around them but they want to live longer for example, in December 2023, a Turkish man committed suicide after killing his wife and children due to accumulated debt and fearing poverty and suffering for his family, he killed them and himself to be rid of the debt.

Moreover, In 2018, Guy Tenebaum, an elderly man, was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer and given only 3 months to live. However, Guy refused to give up. He researched extensively and found several alternative treatments, including prolonged fasting and a regular diet. He implemented these treatments and eventually made a full recovery, living for more than 4 years after his diagnosis. Guy shared his story with Dr. Eric Berg, a nutritionist and public health expert, Therefore, if Guy lost hope and he thought about suicide because it seemed too late his life will tragically ended. But he didn't give up and he did research and treated himself. Therefore, no one knows when their time will come, and euthanasia can be a source of regret for those around the person. 

Humans are not the only creatures who love life. Every living being possesses a natural instinct for survival. The injustices that occur in life are blemishes on this beautiful meaning. Without the inherent beauty of life, martyrs would not have attained their status. They sacrificed their lives for others’ pursuit of God's pleasure and were rewarded with something even more precious, eternal life and immortality.

In 2022, the first person to be legally allowed to commit assisted suicide in Italy died. Federerico Carbone suffered from complete paralysis after a traffic accident, and he said, "I do not deny that it hurts me. It is saying goodbye to life. If I said otherwise, I would be lying and denying the truth, because life is wonderful and we only live once.” Despite his suffering, he appreciates life. 

There is a contradiction between what a doctor swears to in the Hippocratic Oath, which is not to give a drug that leads to death to anyone, and assisted suicide.

Dr. Abdul Jabbar Diya, a consultant in internal medicine and chest diseases, said that the most prominent risks of legalising "euthanasia" include the loss of interest in applying palliative care, and the effects of its risks on the medical and nursing professions, especially in terms of "losing credibility." In addition, the role of the doctor would shift from preserving life to controlling death, undermining the philosophy of medical education from the ground up. 

This would rob the medical profession of its purpose if killing the patient becomes the optimal solution for treating them, and would diminish the value of human life.

In Islam, Judaism, and Christianity euthanasia is considered a sin and an act of murder. This is because it is seen as interfering with God's will. If the patient consents to euthanasia, it is considered suicide. If the patient is unconscious, it is considered murder.

Even though euthanasia is legal in some countries, it is still a practice that goes against ethics and the medical profession. It contradicts the Hippocratic Oath and facilitates the killing of souls instead of nurturing hope for life and its beauty. Neither ethics, nor religion, not even human nature, allow for euthanasia. 

Edited by Chloe Mansola

Euthanasia By Alberto Biscalchin is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED

0 comments

Leave a comment